Automated machine and method for mounting a fitment to a flexible pouch

ABSTRACT

A machine for forming a flexible pouch having a spout fitment includes a frame, a transport device adjacent the frame for transporting a flexible material therealong, and a feeder device for supplying a roll of tape material having a plurality of fitments secured thereto. A fitment insertion station receives the roll of tape material with pre-applied fitments, and removes the fitment, and seals the fitment to a fitment receiving portion of the flexible material. A pouch body forming station operatively forms a body of the pouch from the flexible material, and an upper edge, a lower edge and a side edge extending therebetween.

This application is a Continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.12/440,956 filed on Mar. 12, 2009 now abandoned. Application Ser. No.12/440,956 claims the benefit of Application PCT/US2007/078291 Sep. 12,2007, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application60/825,321 filed on Sep. 12, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a flexible pouch forpackaging products, and more particularly to a flexible pouch with afitment, and a machine and method of manufacture for mounting thefitment.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various types of disposable, portable containers are known in the artfor storing a fluid or dry product, such as a liquid, granular material,powder or the like. An example of such a container is a flexible pouch.Consumers prefer the convenience of flexible pouches over other types ofcontainers, due to their shape, size, shelf life and storageadaptability. Manufacturers recognize the packaging benefits of aflexible pouch, since the pouch can be formed and filled on the samemanufacturing line. An example of a method and apparatus for filling aflexible pouch with a product is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S.Pat. No. 6,199,601, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The flexible pouch is made from a flexible material, such as anextrusion or a laminate composed of sheets of plastic or aluminum or thelike. An outer layer of the material may have preprinted information,such as a logo or the like, to provide the consumer with informationregarding the contents of the pouch. The material is available in sheetform, on a roll, and a plurality of pouches may be fabricated from onewidth of the roll. The pouch also includes an opening means foraccessing the contents of the pouch, such as a fitment.

The pouch may be formed using conventionally known manufacturingtechniques, such as a horizontal form-fill-seal machine with single ormultiple lanes, a flat bed pre-made pouch machine, a verticalform-fill-seal machine, or the like. The machine includes a number ofstations, with a particular operation or operations taking place at eachstation. The pouch is generally formed by folding a sheet or sheets ofmaterial over each other to achieve a predetermined shape. The pouch mayalso include an insert or gusset positioned between two parallel edgesto form a pouch capable of standing unsupported. Edges, such as a sideedge, may be joined together using a sealing technique such as bondingor welding. The opening means, such as a fitment, may be sealed betweenedges, such as the upper edges of the pouch. Alternatively, an upperedge of the front panel and back panel may not be sealed until after thepouch is filled. The pouch is ready to be filled, sealed and finished asrequired. The pouch may be filled through the fitment, or through anunsealed edge.

While flexible pouches with fitments work well, they are costly toproduce since each fitment is individually applied to the pouch andsealed. Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved machine thatproduces a flexible pouch with a fitment, and an improved method ofmaking such a flexible pouch, that applies the fitment in a morereliable manner, and at lower cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, a flexible pouch for a product, a machine, and a method ofmanufacturing the flexible pouch is provided. The flexible pouchincludes a panel having an upper edge, a lower edge and a side edgeextending therebetween the upper edge and the lower edge. A fitment anda tape of material are sealed to the panel.

A machine for forming a flexible pouch having a spout fitment includes aframe, a transport device adjacent the frame for transporting a laminatematerial therealong, and a feeder device for supplying a roll of tapematerial having a plurality of fitments spaced a predetermined distanceapart. A fitment insertion station receives the roll of tape materialwith pre-applied fitments, and removes the fitment, and seals thefitment to a fitment receiving portion of the flexible material. A pouchbody forming station operatively forms a body of the pouch from theflexible material.

One advantage of the present invention is that an improved flexiblepouch with fitment and method and machine for making the same isprovided with more reliable placement and sealing of the fitment.Another advantage of the present invention is that the improved methodand machine for making the pouch supplies multiple fitments across thelanes of material, to increase the line speed for applying the fitmentto the pouch. Still another advantage of the present invention is thatthe size of the fitment can be reduced, due to the improved seal aroundthe fitment. A further advantage of the present invention is that theinclusion of material roll tape with the fitment improves the sealbetween the fitment and the walls of the pouch by eliminating anypotential gap around the seal area. Yet a further advantage of thepresent invention is that the improved method and machine for making thepouch flexible pouch provides for a flexible pouch that is more costeffective to produce.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a flexible pouch with a fitment,according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is another elevational view of a flexible pouch with a fitment,according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a further view of a flexible pouch with a fitment, accordingto the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method of applying a fitment to a tape,according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing theflexible pouch of FIGS. 1-3, according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is aside view of a fitment tape, according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a sealing operation for sealing the fitment tothe pouch; according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a machine for forming theflexible pouch of FIGS. 1-3, according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a machine for forming a pouch from asheet of flexible material.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a method of forming a pouch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a flexible pouch 10 is illustrated. The filledpouch may assume various shapes, such as cylindrical, cube, conical,spherical, or the like. The type of product and usage of the pouchinfluences the shape. The type of product is unlimited, and could have asolid or a liquid form. The pouch 10 may form one compartment for theproduct. Alternatively, the pouch 10 may include multiple discretecompartments. An example of such a pouch is disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/367,613, which isincorporated herein by reference.

The flexible pouch 10 is preferably formed from a roll of flexible,preprinted laminate material. The choice of laminate material isnonlimiting, and is influenced by factors such as the product containedin the pouch 10, the shape of the pouch or the anticipated use of thepouch. Preferably, the laminate is either a three, four, five or moregauge material, and the outer layer is preprinted. It should beappreciated that a portion of the material may be a clear laminate, inorder to view the contents of the pouch. For example, the laminatematerial may include at least one layer of virgin polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) and at least one layer of aluminum foil (AL) andanother layer such as EVOH, PET, polyethylene, or polypropylene or nylonor the like. The laminate may also include a metalized foil paper layerlaminated to a cast polypropylene layer and another layer of PET,polyethylene or EVOH. It should be appreciated that there may be afourth layer of nylon. Another material example includes a castpolypropylene (CPP) layer, a polyethylene (PET) layer, a foil (AL)layer, a nylon (ONO) layer and another CPP layer. Another example of amaterial structure is the use of nylon, foil, nylon, and castpolypropylene (ONO/AL/ONO/CPP) or CPP/NY/AL/CPP. A further example of alaminate material structure is CPP/AL/ONO/PE. This structure works wellwhen the product has a short shelf life, and the nylon eliminatesstretching or cracking of the AL layer. Advantageously, a pouch 10 madeusing the cast polypropylene laminate material retains its filled shapeeven as the product is removed from the pouch 10. It should beappreciated that if a filled carbonated pouch is stored at ambienttemperature, the laminate will start to creep after a period of time,such as ten days. The laminate material may include an extrusion layerto contain “creepage” or “stretch” of the film after filling due tocarbonation expansion, if the product is carbonated. The laminatematerial may include another layer of sealable material, such as LDPE,to facilitate sealing. In addition, the selected material may beorganoleptic compliant in order to avoid the transfer of odorcontaminants to the product, or product contamination during the shelflife period of the product.

The pouch 10 itself is defined by a panel 206, which may be formed usingone or more sheets of material. In this example, the pouch 10 includes afront wall 12 and a back wall 14, and the edges are joined along a seam.With one sheet of material, it is folded so that the outer edges arejoined together to form one seam. In another example, the pouch may beformed from two facing panels of material that are joined together alongcorresponding side edges.

Further, the pouch is defined by an upper edge 16, an opposed lower edge18, and at least one side edge 20 extending therebetween the upper andlower edges 16, 18. The edges of the pouch may be shaped, such as linearor curvilinear or the like. For example, the upper edge may include anelongated spout or neck portion.

The edges of the pouch 10 are sealed using heat or ultrasonics or by acombination of heat and ultrasonics. The pouch sealed edges form a seam.The seam may be a fin-style seam, or a flat seam or the like. A sideedge seal may extend into a predetermined portion of the upper edge ofthe pouch, and a predetermined portion of the closing seal may overlap apredetermined portion of the side seal.

The pouch 10 may include a sidewall. The sidewall 26 advantageouslyallows the pouch 10 to acquire another shape, such as cylindrical, or tostand upright. The sidewall 26 may be integrally formed in the panel asa gusset or a separate piece of material as an insert. The sidewall maybe located between the side edges of the panels, between the loweredges, between the upper edges, or a combination thereof. The sidewallmay be generally wider at the lower edge and taper upwardly towards theupper edge, or be of a uniform dimension. The sidewall may be formedbetween the lower edges of the pouch 10 to provide a base for the pouch10 to stand upright. A sidewall formed between the side or upper edgesmay also serve as an area for receiving an opening means.

In an example of a sidewall forming a gusset between the lower edges ofthe pouch, the inner surface of the gusset may have a curvilinear shape,such as parabolic, concave or the like. For a pouch having apredetermined size the rounded shape may be advantageous in opening andfilling of the pouch, since a reduced amount of air may be utilized toopen the pouch, depending on the size of the pouch of seals.

The pouch 10 further includes an opening means 28 for accessing thecontents of the pouch. Various types of opening means 28 are known inthe art for this purpose. It should be appreciated that in this examplethe opening means may be applied prior to filling the pouch. The pouch10 may be filled through an open edge of the pouch or through the spout.

In this example, the opening means 28 is a spout fitment 32. The spoutfitment 32 may be mounted between edges of the panel 206, such as anupper edge, or side edge or lower edge, or on a surface of the panel206, or the like. Various types of fitments are considered, such as acap 30 enclosing an opening of a spout fitment 32. The spout fitment 30includes a base portion 34, and an upwardly projecting tubular portionor spout 36. The cap 30 may be removably or replaceably secured to thespout 36, or partially secured to the spout 36 or the like. The cap 30can be of various shapes, such as a traditional round shape. In anotherexample, the cap can have an elongated oval shape, so that the pouch maystand up on its own. The base 34 or canoe portion of the fitmentincludes a vertically extending wall 34 a. In this example, the baseportion 34 has an elongated oval shape, although other shapes arecontemplated. The base 34 may also include a ribs 34 b protrudingoutwardly from the wall 34 a. The base 34 may be fixedly retained to thepouch using a sealing means. In another example, an intermediatematerial 22 surrounds the base 34. The intermediate material 22 may be asimilar laminate material as the pouch material. An outer layer or theintermediate material 22 may include a sealable membrane, such as LDPE.In an example, the intermediate material 22 is provided as a materialtape having the fitment pre-applied thereto in a manner to be described.During fabrication of the pouch 10, one edge of the intermediatematerial 22 is sealed to the fitment, and another edge of theintermediate material is sealed to the pouch 10. In another example, theintermediate material 22 is positioned in the seal area of the pouch,and the fitment is positioned on the panel. The seal may be anultrasonic seal, or a heat weld, or the like. During sealing, theintermediate material flows around the base portion 34 and fills in anyvoid between the panel wall and the fitment, to increase the retentionof the base portion to the panel 206.

The spout 36 may include at least one outwardly extending flange orcollar 36 a. The flange 36 a may be spaced a predetermined distanceabove the base portion 34, and the space in between provides a toolsupport surface 36 b. For example, the tool support surface 36 b is usedto support the pouch 10 during manufacturing operations, such asfilling, sealing or the like. The spout 36 may include another flange 36c parallel to, and spaced a predetermined distance above the firstflange 36 a. The flanges serve other purposes, such as a “stop” for thecap 30, or for a tamperproof feature of the cap.

The cap and spout can be made from a variety of materials. For example,the cap may be made from plastic, such as reground resins. The spout maybe made of polypropylene (PP), depending on the product. The spoutportion of the fitment may include a removable seal (not shown) toprevent leakage of the product or evidence of tampering. If the productis a carbonated product, the spout fitment may include a carbonationinsert and oxygen scavenger to reduce oxygen in the head space. Anexample of a fitment for a carbonated product is disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/551,071.

It should be appreciated that the flexible pouch 10 may advantageouslyinclude other features that are known in the art. For example, the pouchmay include a tracking device 38 feature integrally located within thepouch 10 that includes electronic tracking information relevant to thepouch 10, as described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,286,which is incorporated by reference. The tracking device 38 may be anelectronic tag, such as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)transmitter. The tracking device 38 can store a predetermined amount ofelectronic information. An example of the information is unique trackinginformation for a particular package 10. For example, the trackingdevice 38 can provide information about the status of the pouch 10, suchas physical location of the pouch 10, or age of the pouch 10 or thelike. In addition, the tracking device 38 can be utilized for inventorycontrol, delivery, purchase behavior, returns, pricing, and othertracking purposes. The tracking device 38 is in communication with areceiver (not shown) for reading the information. The receiver may be acomputer system having a memory and a processor, a handheld device forreceiving an RFID signal, or any other type of device capable ofelectronic communication with the tracking device 38. The receiver maybe a transceiver capable of emitting a radio signal that initiatestransmission of information from the tracking device 38. Although thepackages are individually read, the RFID tag may be advantageously readat a faster rate than using a barcode in conjunction with a barcodescanner, since the packages are not physically scanned on an individualbasis. In addition, the signal from the RFID tag may be advantageouslyread through an outer layer of material, such as a packaging material,or under various environmental conditions. Another advantage is that thetracking of the physical location of the package may be electronicallymonitored within a predetermined geographical range.

The tracking device 38 may be integrally embedded in the pouch 10. Forexample, a plurality of apertures 42 may be punched in the folded areaof the gusset 26 to reduce the amount of material in the gusset 26. Thetracking device 38 may be inserted in an air pocket 40 formed within oneof the gusset apertures 42. The inclusion of the tracking device 38 inthe air pocket 40 is advantageous because it improves the signalstrength of the tracking device 38. Alternatively, the tracking device38 may be inserted in a sealed portion of the pouch, and an air pocket40 is formed around the tracking device 38 during application of theseal. The tracking device may be integrally formed in the opening means.

The pouch 10 may include a feature such as an angled top seal 44extending between a first side edge and a predetermined location on theupper edge 16 of the pouch. The angled top seal 44 facilitates theremoval of product from the pouch 10 by directing the flow of theproduct towards the opening means. An example of such a pouch isdisclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/683,133 which is incorporated herein by reference.

The pouch 10 may include a feature such as a hanging aperture 46 locatedwithin an edge, such as an upper edge or side edge. The aperture 46 mayhave various shapes, such as round or curved. The pouch 10 may besupported by a support means, such as a hook that extends through theaperture 46. The pouch 10 may be hung for display or storage purposes.The positioning of the hanging aperture 46 above the angled top seal 44or within a sealed portion prevents the contents of the pouch fromleaking out through the aperture 46.

The pouch may include a feature such as a guide pocket 80 formed in awall 14, 16 of the pouch 10 prior to filling and sealing, to facilitatethe separation of the front and back walls 14, 16 prior to the fillingof the pouch 10. An example of such a pouch is disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/310,221. In a furtherexample, the pouch may contain a rib 96 that adds strength or support orform to the body of the pouch. The rib 96 may be thermoformed. In stillanother example, the pouch may include a frangible seal. An example of apouch with a frangible seal is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/367,613 which is incorporated herein byreference.

The pouch may include a feature such as an integral vent means. The ventmeans, such as a valve, functions to exhaust a gas from the pouch. Thegas may be formed within the package while heating the pouch. The valvemay also be operable to respire gas formed in the compartment 36 forother reasons, such as gas formed by decaying food or during freezing orthe like. The valve remains tightly closed, until pressure from the gas,such as steam, reaches a predetermined pressure value. The valve opensand remains open, to release the gas or stream from the package in acontrolled manner. Various types of valves are contemplated. Forexample, a tape may be used to cover a hole in the wall. Alternatively,a pressure relief device, such as that manufactured by PPI TechnologiesGlobal, Sarasota, Fla. model number P033F, may be utilized. Anotherexample of a valve is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/228,430 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,240,796 and PCTPatent Application No. PCT/US2004/34361 which is incorporated herein byreference.

The pouch may include a feature such as an ergonomic shape. An exampleof an ergonomically shaped pouch for a carbonated beverage is disclosedin commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/454,241 whichis incorporated herein by reference. The ergonomic shape may be achievedthrough carbonation as the pouch 10 is filled with a carbonated product,since the carbonation causes the pressure within the pouch to increase.

The flexible pouch 10 may include a feature such as an outer layer orsleeve 48 covering the outer surface of the pouch. The sleeve may be alabel containing information about the product, such as a barcode or thelike. The sleeve may cover only a portion of the pouch outer surface.Preferably, the sleeve is shrunk over the outer surface of the pouch 10after the pouch 10 is formed and filled with the product. The sleeve 48is advantageous because it covers the side seam. It also adds one ormore layers of material to strengthen the pouch and improve itsdurability. Various types of material may be utilized for the sleeve,such as paper or plastic including PET or PVC and the choice isnon-limiting.

It is contemplated that the filled pouch 10 may undergo a secondaryprocess. For example, the filled pouch may be refrigerated, frozen orotherwise modified for an extended shelf life. Alternatively, the filledpouch may be pasteurized for increased shelf life. Examples ofpasteurized food products include dairy products such as milk, or meatproducts such as chicken or the like.

It is contemplated that these are merely examples of features and theflexible pouch 10 may incorporate any of the above-described features orany other feature, in any combination. In addition, the finished pouchmay assume various shapes, such as cylindrical, cubical, spherical,conical, hourglass or the like, as influenced by the type of product andintended usage of the pouch. It should further be appreciated that thedesignated upper edge and lower edge is merely for reference purposes.

With reference now to FIG. 9, a machine 200 for forming the pouch 10 isprovided. The pouch is formed a sheet of flexible material 204. Themachine 200 may include a form line 210 and a fill-seal line 270. Theform line 210 is operable to form the sheet of flexible material 204into a pouch 10. The fill-seal line 270 is operable to fill the pouch 10and seal the filled pouch 10.

The sheet of flexible material 204 may be formed in a roll and fed tothe machine 200. The sheet of flexible material 204 has an inner surface204 a opposite an outer surface 204 b. The sheet of flexible materialincludes a plurality of apertures 205 axially aligned with each other.Each of the plurality of apertures 205 evenly spaced apart from eachother. The each of the plurality of apertures 205 is disposed along thesheet of flexible material 204 where the fitment 32 is mounted on thepouch 10. Though the plurality of apertures 205 is shown disposed alongan edge of the sheet of flexible material 204, it should be appreciatedthat the apertures 205 may be disposed on other locations.

The machine 200 further includes a frame 207 operable to support thesheet of flexible material 204. The frame 207 further includes atransport device 212 operable to feed the sheet of flexible material 204to various pouch forming stations such as a cutting stations 224, and230, a sealing station 228, opening station 278, filling station 280,sealing station 282 and finishing station 286.

The machine 200 further includes a feeder device 242 and a roll of tape243. The feeder device 242 is operable to feed the tape 243 to the frame207. The tape 243 further includes tape a plurality of fitments 32mounted onto the tape 243. Each of the plurality of fitments 32 isspaced a predetermined distance apart from the other and evenly spacedapart.

The machine 200 further includes a fitment insertion device 209. Thefitment insertion device 209 is operable to remove and seal one of theplurality of fitments 32 from the tape 243 through the inner surface 204a of a respective aperture 204. In operation, the fitment insertiondevice 209 grabs a fitment 32 from the tape 243 and pushes the fitment32 into an aperture 204. The feeder 242 continuously advances the tape243 and the fitment insertion device 209 grabs the next availablefitment 32 from the tape 243 and places the fitment 32 into the nextavailable aperture.

The fitment insertion device 209 may be further operable to seal aportion of the fitment 32 onto the inner surface 204 a of the sheet offlexible material 204 so as to place the remaining portion of thefitment 32 beyond the outer surface 204 b of the sheet of flexiblematerial 204. Thus, a portion of the fitment 32 is sealed with the innersurface 204 a of a respective aperture 205, wherein the remainingportion of the fitment 32 extends beyond the outer surface 204 b of thesheet of flexible material 204, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9 when viewedcollectively.

The machine 200 advances the flexible sheet 204 portion having thefitment 32 mounted in the aperture 205 downstream to a folding station225 wherein the sheet of flexible material 204 is folded to form a pouchbody. The machine 200 further advances the folded portion of the sheetof flexible material 204 downstream to the sealing and cutting stations228, 230 wherein the folded portion of the sheet of flexible material204 is sealed along the sides and cut to form a pouch 10.

Referring to FIG. 4, a method of preapplying the spout fitment 32 to atape of material 50 is provided. The method begins in block 170 with thestep of providing a roll of tape material 50. The tape material 50 has apredetermined width, corresponding to the size and shape of the spoutfitment 32 as well as the pouch 10 receiving the fitment 32. The tapematerial 50 is provided on a roll. The tape material 50 may be alaminate, and an outer layer of the material may include a sealantlayer, for enhanced sealing of the tape material to the panel materialat a predetermined temperature. For example, the tape material 50 may bea similar laminate as the pouch material, as previously described. Aplurality of tape apertures 54 spaced a predetermined distance apart maybe pre-formed in the tape material 50.

In block 175, as the tape material 50 is unrolled, and a spout fitment32 is secured onto the roll of material, as shown in FIG. 6. The spoutfitment 32 is provided using a feeder device 242, such as a bowl feeder.The fitment 32 may be inserted through the aperture 54 and the edge ofthe tape material surrounding the aperture 54 is secured around thefitment 32. In another example, the spout fitment 32 may be placed overthe aperture in the tape and secured to the tape. An example of securingthe fitment is a seal, such as a tack seal or a permanent seal or thelike. Another example of securing the fitment is by an adhesive. Otherways of attaching the fitment to the tape are contemplated. Each fitmentis spaced a predetermined distance apart on the material roll, such ascorresponding to the plurality of apertures 54 formed in the tapematerial 50.

An intermediate portion 22 of the tape material 50 surrounding the spoutfitment 32 may be defined using perforations 24. The perforations 24 inthe tape material 50 facilitates removal of the intermediate portion 22of tape material 50 for attachment to the pouch 10. The perforations 24that define the intermediate portion 22 may have a predetermined shapeto accommodate the size and shape of the pouch 10.

The methodology advances to block 180, and the roll of material withpre-applied fitment 56 is finished. For example, the pre-applied fitmentroll may be rerolled for later use. Alternatively, the pre-appliedfitment roll may be directly transferred to another machine such as aform machine, or a form-fill-seal machine or a fill-seal machine.

Referring to FIG. 5, a method for forming, filling and sealing theflexible pouch 10 using a machine is illustrated. The machine may be aform machine, or a fill-seal machine, or a form-fill-seal machine. Anexample of a pouch forming machine is the Nishibe SMB500, SMB600 orSMB700. Another example is the Laudenberg form-fill-seal machine, FBM10, 54, 20, 22. Advantageously, the spout fitment 32 is supplied with atape of material in order to improve the process of forming a flexiblepouch 10 with a fitment, as previously described.

The method begins in block 100 at a first forming station with the stepof preparing the material 204 used to form the body of the pouch. Forexample, a roll of laminate material 204, as previously described, isunrolled along a horizontally oriented plane. The initial width of theroll of material 204 is determined by the desired finished size of thepouch 10 and the number of pouches obtained from the width. For example,two to four pouches, representing four to eight panels, can be obtainedfrom a width of the roll of material on a two lane machine, three lanemachine, four lane or more lane machine, respectively. The film may passthrough an ultraviolet light chamber without reflection to removepathogen and microbiological contaminants. The material is aligned. Aprecise alignment is advantageous, especially at a higher machine speed.For example, for provide a more precise seam tolerance and reduces theamount of material required. An example of an alignment method isdisclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/674,923, which is incorporated by reference.

For example, to align the material, the planar orientation of theunrolling material 204 is changed from a horizontal orientation to avertical planar orientation. In an example, the machine 200 utilizes anangled roll bar to modify the planar orientation of the unrollingmaterial. The vertical orientation is advantageous in aligning theunrolling material 204 prior to cutting. An optical reading means may beutilized, such as an optical scanner or the like to identify apredetermined location of the material, such as an edge of the materialor a registration mark.

The determined alignment of the unrolling material may be used toautomatically correct the alignment of the unrolling material. In thisexample, a moveable roller is utilized to adjust the alignment of thematerial along a vertically oriented axis. For example, the adjustmentmovement is ±2 degrees from the vertically oriented axis.

The material 204 may include preprinted information such as labelinginformation that describes the product contained within the pouch. In anexample, the layer of preprinted information is located on an outerlayer of the material. One layer of the material may also be preprintedwith a tracking device 38, such as the RFID transmitter previouslydescribed. Alternatively, the RFID transmitter may be secured onto thematerial in a predetermined position, so that it is located in an airpocket when the pouch is formed during a later step.

The methodology advances to block 105, and the fitment is removed from afeeder device 242 and secured to the pouch 10. For example, the fitment32 is removed from the pre-applied fitment roll 56 and secured to thepanel 206. Advantageously, a plurality of fitments can be simultaneouslyapplied to adjacent panels 206 of the material 204 across each of thelanes. A feeder device 242 provides the pre-mounted fitment or fitment32 and tape of material 50, to the form machine. In an example, thematerial or tape 50 with the pre-applied fitment 56 unwound and fed inat a 90 degree angle to the unrolling panel material 204. In anotherexample, the spout fitment 32 or the intermediate tape material 22 andspout fitment 32 are fed in and applied to the panel 206. The spoutfitment 32, or spout fitment 32 and intermediate tape material 22, ispositioned adjacent a predetermined fitment receiving portion of thepanel as shown at 58. The predetermined fitment receiving location 58could represent an upper, lower or side edge of the pouch or a surfaceof the pouch or the like. The fitment 32, or fitment 32 and intermediatetape material portion 22, are removed from the material roll 56 andsealed to the panel 206 of material. The perforations 24 defining theedge of the intermediate material portion 22 surrounding the spoutfitment 32 facilitate removal of the fitment 32 and intermediate tapematerial 22 from the roll 56. The fitment 32 may be attached to thepanel, and the attachment may be permanent or temporary. Variousattaching techniques may be used to secure the fitment to the panelmaterial. For example, a first fitment seal 62 may be a first lowtemperature, and first low pressure seal or a tack seal or the like. Anedge of the intermediate material 22 surrounding the spout fitment 32 orthe base portion of the fitment may be sealed to the panel material.

The material panel may be cut and positioned to form the front wall anda back wall of the pouch. Other features may also be added to the pouchas it is being formed. For example, a sidewall or gusset 26 may beinserted between the walls of the pouch. In another example, the gusset26 or pleat is formed in the panel using a folding operation to fold thepanel. The gusset may have a “V” shape, and in another example, thegusset has a “W” shape. A plurality of apertures 42 may be formed in thegusset, such as by using a punch. The plurality of apertures 42 may bepositioned in the gusseted portion of the material, so as to reduce theamount of material in the gusseted portion of the pouch for sealingpurposes. The tracking device 38 may be advantageously located within anairspace created by the aperture 42. In another example, a shapingmeans, such as an insert may be positioned between the walls of thepouch. The shaping means may be positioned at any edge, such as a loweredge of the pouch or an upper edge. More than one shaping means may beutilized to achieve a desired shape. Still another example of a featureis a vent valve inserted into one of the panels. In another example of apouch 10 with one side seam, a fold may be formed along an edge in thesheet of material. An example of this type of pouch is disclosed incommonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/195,906, and U.S.Pat. No. 7,642,663 which are incorporated herein by reference.

In block 110, the pouch is permanently sealed. For example, the spoutfitment 32 is sealed to the panel 206. The seal 60 may be applied to thefitment base 34 or formed along an outer edge of the intermediatematerial 22 surrounding the spout fitment. In an example, the firstfitment seal 62, as previously described, may be applied. A secondfitment seal 64 may be applied at a second higher temperature and asecond higher pressure than that of the first seal 62. A third fitmentseal 66 may then be applied over the second fitment seal 64. The thirdfitment seal 66 is a cool seal at a third lower temperature and thirdpressure than the first temperature and first pressure, such as to setthe seal. Each of the first seal, second seal or third seal may beapplied more than once. The seal may be applied using a seal bar, to bedescribed. Various sealing techniques are known in the art to form eachseal. The seals may be a heat weld formed by applying heat andcompression, or an ultrasonic seal formed using vibrational energy, or acombination of heat and ultrasonic seals. It should be appreciated thata previous seal may be absorbed during the sealing process.

In addition, an edge of the pouch may be sealed prior, concurrent orafter the fitment is sealed to pouch. For example, the side edges andlower edges of the pouch 10 may be sealed, leaving the upper edges openif the pouch is to be filled through the upper edge. All the edges maybe sealed if the pouch is filled through the spout fitment 32. Othercombinations are contemplated, depending on the type of fitment, productand filling technique. The side seal may be an overlap seal, whereby theside seal extends along the side edge of the panel and a predetermineddistance along the upper edge. Another seal, such as the angled top seal44, may also be applied at this time. Advantageously, the seals may beshaped so as to avoid sharp radiuses at the interior corners of thepouch. A rounded interior shape facilitates removal of the product.Various sealing techniques may be used to seal the edges, such as a heatweld, or ultrasonic seal, or combination as described herein.

A seal bar or forming plate may be used to apply any of the seals. Anexample of a seal bar is a generally rectangular member, as shown at 68.The seal bar may include a cavity 68 a. The cavity 68 a may be used tocreate an air pocket, or may conform to the shape of a member, such asthe base portion 34 of the spout fitment 32. A tracking device 38 may becontained in the air pocket. In another example, the seal bar 68 orforming plate may have a plasma coating. One advantage of the plasmacoating is that the line speed may increase. Another advantage is thatthe coating makes the surface of the seal bar or forming plate moreresilient. When the seal bar 68 is heated, the coating expands due tothis resiliency. The shear stress on the inner edge of the seal isreduced; resulting in reduced creepage of the material and greaterdurability of the seal. The plasma coating reduces the opportunity forpotential damage to the material during the sealing step. In thisexample, the plasma coating is a smooth, hard plastic that mimics glass.Since the outer layer of material is not weakened, there is no creepageof the outer layer. This seal bar may also include the previouslydescribed seal bar cavity or recess.

In still another example of a sealing technique, the side seal is atwo-step seal formed using more than one seal bar 68. One seal bar 68may include the previously described seal bar cavity 68 a for forming anair pocket in the sealed portion. An example of a two-step seal isdisclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/551,071. The two-step seal advantageously avoids the generation ofketones due to application of heat to the material. The first or innerseal is a low temperature seal. The second or outer seal is a hightemperature seal. The second seal is spaced apart from the first seal bya predetermined distance, to create an air gap. The first seal is a tackseal, such as 6 mm wide, and is of a sufficient temperature so as tomelt the layers of material and tack the edges together. Thepredetermined distance between the first and second seal is ½-1 mm. Thesecond seal is applied at a higher temperature and pressure than thefirst seal. As a result, any gas, such as steam, ketones, aromatics orthe like, is pushed in an outwardly direction, out through the openedges of the panels, and not into the pouch. Thus, the first sealprevents entry of contaminates into the pouch to avoid organolepticcontamination.

The heat weld may include a heat weld followed by a cold weld.

The methodology advances to block 115, and the individual pouches formedin the roll width of material are separated from each other in a cuttingoperation. For example, each section of material may be first separatedalong its width, i.e. along the side seams of the pouches. The sectionis then is separated into individual pouches along a cutting line. Inthis example, the width of unrolling material represents the side edges.The material is cut into a pouch 10 using a known cutting apparatus,such as a laser or punch or the like. The cutting apparatus imparts asingle cut in the material to separate the pouches. The size of thepouch 10 is controlled by the distance between the cuts. For example, awidth of the web of material may contain three pouches. A singlewidthwise and lengthwise cut separates the web into individual pouches.Alternatively, two rows of pouches are cut out at one time by adding adouble cut between two lengthwise cuts, preferably in the center.Advantageously, forming two pouches during the cutting operationeffectively doubles the assembly line speed.

In a further example, two consecutive pouches 10 may be separated usinga double cutting process, whereby two cuts are made at the same time toseparate the upper and lower edges of two pouches at the same time fromthe sheet of material. Advantageously, forming two pouches during thecutting operation effectively doubles the assembly line speed.

It should be appreciated that the upper edge or lower edge may befurther trimmed such as for the pouch to acquire a predetermined shape.The pouch corners may be shaped to have a radius, to eliminate rightangles at the corners. A hanging aperture 46, if present, may be formedat this time. This operation may be performed using a cutter or a diecut or the like.

In another example of a finishing operation, a crease or guide pocket 80may be formed in a top portion of each wall 12, 14 in a creasingoperation, in order to facilitate opening and filling of the pouch. Anexample of a method of forming a crease in a wall to facilitate openingthe pouch is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/310,221, which is incorporated herein by reference. It should beappreciated that the shape of the finished pouch is non-limiting, andmay be round, square, oval, triangular or the like. In still anotherexample of a finishing operation, the sleeve is applied over theindividual pouch and shrunk to fit using an application of heat to thepouch. In a further example of a finishing operation, a rib 96 may beadded to the pouch. The rib may be thermoformed, and may provide thepouch 10 with shape or structure.

The methodology advances to 125, and the formed pouch 10 is removed fromthe form line, and is ready for filling. It should be appreciated thatthe fill-seal machine may be integral with the pouch forming machine, ormay be a separate machine. The unfilled pouch may be loaded into acarrier and the carrier is transferred to a fill-seal machine. Theunfilled pouch may be directly placed on a fill-seal line using atransfer means. An example of a transport means is disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/829,401, which isincorporated herein by reference.

In block 130, the pouch is placed on a fill-seal line. For example, aline worker could pick up the pouch 10 and place it in a carrier 260 onthe fill-seal line 270. In another example, a robotic transfer device252 is used to transfer the pouch from the form line 210 to thefill-seal line 270. The robotic transfer device 252 can be a roboticdevice having an arm 254 and a gripping device 256 that picks up anindividual pouch from the form line 210 and places it in a pouch carrier260 that moves between the fill-seal stations. An example is disclosedin commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/829,401, whichis incorporated herein by reference. Various types of pouch carriers 260are available, such as a holder 262 or a gripper or the like. An exampleof a holder is a cup-shaped member, as disclosed in commonly assignedU.S. Pat. No. 6,719,015, which is incorporated herein by reference.Alternatively, the pouch 10 may be held using grippers as is known inthe art. The gripper may hold the pouch along the edge. The pouches arearranged on the carrier in a predetermined manner.

The methodology advances to block 135 and the pouch 10 is opened in anopening operation. Various techniques are conventionally known in theart for opening the pouch 10. For example, heated air, such as between120-140° F., may be directed into the pouch through the spout. Inanother example, the guide pocket 80 formed by the crease in the frontwall 12 and back wall 14 facilitates opening of the pouch. After thepouch 10 is initially opened, a nozzle may be mechanically lowered intothe guide pocket to direct a stream of compressed gas into the guidepocket, to force the walls of the pouch 10 away from each other andfurther open the pouch. An example of a gas is carbon dioxide ornitrogen. The blowing station may include a manifold, with a hoodextending over the top of the edges of the pouch as known in the art.The manifold has rows of apertures formed above the upper edges 16 ofthe pouch 10. The hood is placed over the pouch 10 to assist inmaintaining the air pressure in the pouch 10. The supply of pressurizedgas is directed through the aperture to form a plurality of jets ofpressurized gas or air. The jets are directed downwardly at thediamond-shaped openings formed at the upper edges 16 to assist inovercoming the surface tension of the pouch and assist in separation ofthe walls 12, 14. A diving rod (not shown) may then be used to make surethe pouch 10 is fully opened. After the pouch is opened, it may beinjected with super-saturated steam to eliminate any pathogens or thelike.

In block 140, the pouch 10 is filled with the product in a fillingoperation. The pouch may be filled through an open edge, or through thefitment, as previously described. If the pouch is large, the pouch maybe filled at more than one station. For example, a fill tube 281 islowered into the opened pouch 10 and the product is dispensed into theopen pouch 10. The fill tube may be raised at a predetermined rate asthe product is dispensed. For example, the fill tube may be raised justahead of the filling product.

If the product is naturally carbonated, such as a sparkling wine or thelike, the pouch is preferably filled while immersed in a nitrogen orcarbon dioxide atmosphere. If the product is not naturally carbonatedand carbonation is desirable, it is immersed in a carbonator tointroduce carbon dioxide into the product. For example, carbon dioxideis introduced into cold water or juice to provide a carbonated beverage.The product may contain a mixture of up to four volumes of carbondioxide. It should be appreciated that the carbon dioxide masks anyundesirable taste from ketones and other solvents released during thesealing process. The carbon dioxide also increases the pressure withinthe product so that the walls of the pouch are rigid after the top issealed. The product is preferably filled at a temperature ranging from29° F. to ambient temperature. The filled pouch may have the oxygenremoved from the pouch. For example, the pouch may be flushed withcarbon dioxide. Any gas in the head space of the pouch is removed. Forexample, oxygen may be removed by applying a vacuum.

In block 145, the pouch is sealed. Various techniques are available forsealing the pouch 10. The seal technique depends on the productcontained in the pouch, the pouch shape, or type of opening means or howthe pouch is filled. For example, a closing seal may be a heat weld, oran ultrasonic seal or ultra pulse seal as previously described.

For example, if the pouch is filled through the open edges with acarbonated product, or product having an alcoholic content, the openedges of the pouch are closed by applying a first closing seal 70. Thefirst closing seal 70 may be an ultrasonic seal, or an ultra pulse seal.An example of a closing seal for a pouch containing a carbonatedbeverage is described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,216 which isincorporated herein by reference.

A second closing seal 72 may be applied a predetermined distance apartfrom the first seal 70. The second seal 72 may be a heat weld or acosmetic seal or an ultrasonic seal or the like. For a carbonatedproduct, the location of the second seal 72 is selected so that some ofthe product is trapped between the first and second seals 70, 72. Thisis advantageous since eliminates the potential for gas in the headspace, i.e. the region between the product and the heat seal. The secondseal is spaced outboard of the first seal. Another advantage of thelocation of the second seal 72 is that the overall length of the pouchmay be reduced, resulting in less pouch material. In a further example,the first closing seal 70 is a tack seal, and the second closing seal 72is a high pressure, high temperature seal. A cosmetic seal may beapplied with respect to the first and second closing seals, or thesecond seal 72 may be a cosmetic seal. In an example of an overlap seal,the closing seal 72 extends a predetermined amount over the side sealalong the upper edge.

In yet another example, the pouch 10 is filled through the spout fitment32 and the cap 30 is applied the spout 36 to close the pouch 10. The cap30 contains the product in the filled pouch, to prevent leakage of theproduct from the pouch 10. The cap 30 may be a tamper-evident cap for acarbonated product. For a carbonated product, the complementaryarrangement of threads and grooves in the cap and spout provides for thecontrolled release of pressure from the pouch, as disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/195,906, which isincorporated herein by reference.

The methodology advances to block 150 and the pouch 10 is finished in afinishing operation. For example, the edges of the pouch 10 may betrimmed to achieve a predetermined shape. In addition, the pouch 10 maybe cooled at a cooling station, where the pouch 10 is cooled using aconventionally known cooling technique. Optionally, the sleeve may beplaced over the filled pouch and shrunk to fit over the pouch byapplying heat. The sleeve layer forms an outer layer of the pouch. Themethodology advances to block 155.

In block 155 the filled pouch 10 is discharged from the machine. Aplurality of pouches may be placed in a package for sales or shippingpurposes. It is contemplated that the order of implementing the stepsmay vary to facilitate the manufacturing process.

Referring now to FIG. 10 a method of forming a pouch 10 having a fitment32 mounted to the inner wall of the pouch body is provided. The methodbegins at block 400 wherein a sheet of flexible material 204 isprovided. The sheet of flexible material 204 has an outer surface 204 bopposite an inner surface 204 a. The inner surface 204 a forms the innerportion of the pouch body. The outer surface 204 b forms the exteriorsurface of the pouch 10.

The method proceeds to step 410 where a plurality of apertures 205 areformed in the sheet of flexible material 204. The plurality of apertures205 are axially aligned with respect to each other and evenly spacedapart. The plurality of apertures 205 is formed where the fitment 32 ofa respective pouch 10 is mounted. For example, in instances where thefitment 32 is mounted near the bottom edge of the pouch 10, theplurality of apertures 205 is aligned along an edge of the sheet offlexible material 204.

The method proceeds to step 420 wherein a tape 243 is provided. The tape243 includes a plurality of fitments 32. Each of the plurality offitments 32 is evenly spaced apart from other. The method proceeds tostep 430 wherein each of the plurality of fitments 32 is removed fromthe tape 243. Each fitment 32 is sealed to a respective aperture 205 inthe sheet of flexible material 204. Specifically, the fitments 32 aresealed onto the inner surface 204 a of the sheet of flexible material204. Each fitment 32 is pushed through a respective aperture 205 so thatthe fitments 32 extend beyond the outer surface 204 b of the sheet offlexible material 204.

The method proceeds to step 440 wherein top, bottom and side edges of apouch 10 is formed by sealing the sheet of flexible material 204together. Preferably the sheet of flexible material 204 is folded so asto form a pouch. Sealing bars 224 may be pressed together sealing aportion of the pouch so as to form respective top, bottom and sideedges. Each of the plurality of pouches includes one of thepredetermined number of fitments 32.

The method may further include steps to help facilitate the forming ofthe pouch 10. For instance the method may include the step ofperforating a predetermined area surrounding each of the plurality offitments so as to form an intermediate portion of tape material. Theintermediate portion of tape material is removed with each of theplurality of fitments so as to be sealed within each of the plurality ofpouches.

Referring to FIGS. 8-9, a machine 200 for carrying out the methoddescribed with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5 is illustrated. Various stylesof machines 200 are contemplated for forming or filling and sealing thepouch 10, such as a flat bed, conveyor or the like. An example of such amachine is manufactured by Nishibe, such as the model number SBM500.SMB600 or SMB700. The machine may include a form line 210 and/or a fillline 270. It should be appreciated that a particular manufacturingstation may perform one or a plurality of operations, to enhance theefficiency of the methodology and apparatus.

The machine includes a base 216 and a transport device 212 thattransports the material through the various stations. An example of atransport device is a conveyor or a turret or the like. The roll ofmaterial 204 is mounted along a horizontally oriented axis, and isunrolled along at a material feed station.

The unrolling material passes through an alignment station 218 to alignthe material. For example, at the alignment station 218, the materialrolls pass through an optical reader, and the optical reader reads apredefined point with respect to the material 204. This predefined pointmay be a registration mark on the material, or the edge of the material204. The machine 200 utilizes the registration marks to automaticallyadjust the orientation of the unrolling material position along an axis.For example, rollers 220 are used to adjust the position of theunrolling material ±2 degrees relative to a vertically oriented centeraxis.

The material is moved to a fitment application station 240 and the spoutfitment 32 is applied to the unrolling material 204. The machineincludes a feeder device 242, which supplies the fitment and tape to themachine. In this example, a feeder mechanism supplies the unrollingmaterial roll with pre-applied fitment 56 at a 90 degree angle to thedirection of material 204 flow. In another example known in FIG. 8, thefitments are supplied from a feeder bowl and the tape of material 50 isapplied separately. In still another example, a fitment is supplied fromthe feeder bowl. The fitment 32 is positioned on the panel and securedto the panel. The fitment may be secured using a first seal 62 at afirst low temperature and first low pressure. The first seal 62 may be atack seal. As previously described, the intermediate material 22surrounding the fitment 32 may be sealed to the panel, or the baseportion of the fitment. It should be appreciated that the spout fitmentsmay be simultaneously applied across all lanes in the predeterminedpanel location 58 for each spout fitment 32 on each panel 206corresponding to a lane. For example, in a 10 lane machine with 10panels, arranged in a linear line of 10, 10 fitments are simultaneouslysealed to the material. At a rate of 50 strokes per minute, 500 fitmentsper minute may be applied to the unrolling material.

The machine includes a cutting station 224 where the material is cutinto a predetermined number of sections. For a pouch made from twopanels of material, one of the sections is rotated 180 degrees, and thefirst and second sections of this example are positioned such that innersides face one another. The sections are used to form the front paneland back panel of the pouch, respectively.

It should be appreciated that a feature, as previously described, may beadded between the facing sheets at an appropriate station, such as theinsert station. The facing sections are transferred along the conveyerto a sealing station.

The seals are applied to seal the pouch at a sealing station 228. In anexample, the seal may be applied to the fitment base 34. In anotherexample, the seal may be formed along an outer edge of the intermediatematerial 22 surrounding the spout fitment. In still another example, atape of material 50 is positioned along the seal area where the spoutfitment will be located. A seal bar 68 may be utilized to apply theseal. In this example, there are two seal bars that oppose each other,on opposite side of the spout fitment. Each seal bar 68 includes acavity 68 a surface that corresponds to the shape of the base portion ofthe spout fitment 32. The base portion 34 of the spout fitment 32 ispositioned between the seal bars 68, so that the contour of the spoutfitment corresponds to the cavity 68 a. The first fitment seal 62 may beapplied, if not previously applied. A second fitment seal 64 may beapplied at a second higher temperature and second pressure than thefirst fitment seal 62. A third fitment seal 66 at a third temperatureand third pressure that is lower than the first temperature and pressureor second temperature and second pressure may then be applied over thesecond fitment seal 64. The third fitment seal 66 is a cool seal, suchas to set the seal. It should be appreciated that any of the seals maybe applied more than once. The intermediate material 22 surrounding thefitment base portion 34, or material tape 50 positioned adjacent thefitment base portion 34, fills any voids within the seal bar cavity, soas to eliminate any potential gap between the seal bar 68 and the spoutfitment 32. As a result of the elimination of any gaps, leakage betweenthe spout fitment 32 and the panel is prevented. Various sealingtechniques are known in the art, and the seals may be a heat weld formedby applying heat and compression, or an ultrasonic seal formed usingvibrational energy, or a combination of heat and ultrasonic seals. Inaddition, a previous seal may be absorbed during the sealing process.

The sealing station 228, as previously described, also forms the seamsjoining the edge of each panel to delineate each pouch. In this example,the side edges of each of the pouches along the width of material areheat-sealed in this operation. Because of the precise alignment of thematerial sheets, the width of the side edge seam may be reduced, such as4 mm, with a tolerance of ±1 mm. The ribs may also be added at thesealing station.

The material is moved along the conveyer to a cutting station 230 andthe material is cut into individual pouches. For example, the pouch iscut along the side seam. The pouch is then cut along the upper edge andlower edge. The cut may be a double cut, so as to separate two pouchesat one time.

The transport device then transfers the individual pouches to anunloading station 232, wherein the individual pouches are removed andplaced into a receptacle, such as a holder 260, or magazine or the like.It should be appreciated that the pouches 10 are fully formed.

The pouches are now ready for filling. It should be appreciated that thepouches may be filled and sealed on another machine, or at fill-sealstations associated with the above described machine.

The line speed between the form line 210 and the line 270 can becoordinated, and such coordination may increase the overall pouchproduction rate. In the example of FIG. 9, the line speed of the formline 210 is coordinated with the fill-seal line 270 to output filledpouches at a predetermined rate. The fill-seal line 270 includes a pouchcarrier 260 that simultaneously moves a plurality of pouches, arrangedin a predetermined manner, such as transversely in a row, through eachof the stations in the fill-seal line. The pouch carrier 260 isoperatively connected to a transport device 272, as previouslydescribed, that moves with respect to a second frame 274. For example,eight pouches arranged transversely are filled and sealed at a time toimprove the efficiency of the machine 200.

The stations 276 of the form-fill line 270 of the machine 200 may bearranged in a linear manner, such as on a linear transport table.Further the pouches may be arranged in a circular manner, such as on arotational transport table. The linear stations may be further arrangedtransversely or vertically.

The fill-seal line 270 of the machine 200 includes an opening station278, in order to separate the upper edges of the pouch. Varioustechniques are conventionally known in the art for further opening thepouch 10. For example, suction cups or grippers or the like may beutilized to open the pouches. A stream of heated air may be directedtoward the upper edges of the pouch, or through the spout. In addition,a nozzle may be mechanically lowered into the pouch 10 to direct astream of compressed gas downwardly into the pouch to force the walls ofthe pouch 10 away from each other to further the pouch. An example of agas is carbon dioxide or nitrogen.

In addition, the opening station 278 may include a manifold, with a hoodextending over the top of the edges of the pouch. The manifold has rowsof apertures (not shown) formed above the upper edges of the walls ofthe pouch. The hood is placed over the pouch to assist in maintainingthe air pressure in the pouch. The supply of pressurized gas is directedthrough the aperture to form a plurality of jets of pressurized gas orair. The jets are directed downwardly at the diamond-shaped openingsformed at the upper edges to assist in overcoming the surface tension ofthe walls and assist in separation of the walls. A diving rod may thenbe used to make sure the pouch is fully opened. Steam or another type ofsterilizer may be utilized to clean an inside wall of the opened pouch.

The opened pouch moves to a filling station 280, and the pouch is filledwith the product. For example, a nozzle dispenses a predetermined amountof product into the opened pouch. The product may be dispensed into theopened edges of the pouch or through the spout. In this example, thefill nozzle is lowered into the opened pouch, and the product isdispensed into the open pouch. The nozzle is raised at a predeterminedrate corresponding to the rate of filling the pouch, to keep the productin the pouch and avoid overspray. Depending on the size of the pouch,there may be additional fill nozzles.

If the product is naturally carbonated, such as beer or soda or thelike, the pouch is preferably filled while immersed in a nitrogenatmosphere. If the product is not naturally carbonated, it is immersedin a carbonator to introduce carbon dioxide into the product. Forexample, carbon dioxide is introduced into cold water or juice toprovide a carbonated beverage. The product may contain a mixture of upto four volumes of carbon dioxide. It should be appreciated that thecarbon dioxide masks any undesirable taste from ketones and othersolvents released during the sealing process. The carbon dioxide alsoincreases the pressure within the product so that the walls of the pouch10 are rigid after the top is sealed. The product is preferably filledat a temperature ranging from 29° F. to ambient temperature. Thecarbonation is advantageous as a microbiocide which can enhance theflavor or prevent mold or contamination.

The pouch 10 may move to a gas removal station for removing any oxygenfrom the pouch. Various techniques are known in the art for removing thegas. This can be done by providing a hood or diving nozzle where oxygenis either evacuated or replaced with carbon dioxide or nitrogen into thepouch to displace the oxygen. A diving nozzle is used to inject the gasor liquid nitrogen.

The pouch is then transferred to a sealing station 282 and if filledthrough the open edges of the pouch, the open edges of the pouch aresealed using a closing seal. The closing seal may be a thermal seal. Forexample, a heat sealing member extends through the slots in the sides ofthe cup to seal the upper edge of the pouch. As previously described,the heat sealing member may have a plasma coating. In another example,the lifting surface ends, causing the lever arms to return to theiroriginal position, and the pouch to close. The filled pouch may returnto a partially closed position due to the product contained therein.

Another example of a closing seal for a product utilizes an ultrasonicsealing process that includes a first closing seal 70. The ultrasonicseal may include sound waves and is formed using a horn and anvil. Asecond closing seal 72, if utilized, is applied at a second sealingstation 284. The second closing seal 72 may be applied using a heat sealmeans to form a second heat seal spaced apart a predetermined distancefrom the first closing seal 70. It should be appreciated that the secondclosing seal 72 may be spaced slightly outboard of the first closingseal 70. The second heat-sealing station is conventional and utilizesheat or a combination of heat and pressure to form the seal. The secondclosing seal 72 may also be a cosmetic seal or another type of seal,such as ultrasonic, ultra pulse or the like. The first and second sealsare applied for a carbonated product as disclosed in commonly assignedU.S. Pat. No. 6,863,216, which is incorporated herein by reference.

If the pouch 10 is filled through the spout fitment 32, the pouch 10 isclosed by securing a cap 30 to the spout 36. The cap 30 may have atamper-evident feature. In addition, the cap 30 may contain a trackingdevice 38.

The pouch 10 is transferred to a finishing station 286 for finishing andremoval from the filling machine 270. For example, a hanging aperture 46may be formed at this time. In another example of a finishing operation,the edges of the pouch 10 are trimmed to achieve a desired shape.

The machine may include a removal station 288 for removing the pouches10 from the machine 270. A gripper may be utilized to transfer thepouches. The grippers grab the pouch and lift the pouch from the pouchcarrier 260. The carriers 260 may then be moved by the conveyor througha rinsing station and returned to the other side of the machine 270 forreuse.

The finished pouches 10 may be transferred to a packaging machine. Forexample, grippers may be utilized to move the finished pouches. In anexample, the packaging machine may be integral with the form-fill-sealmachine or a separate line.

It should be appreciated that the automated machine 200 may includeother operations. For example, the filled pouch may be transferred toanother transport device, or otherwise collected. Alternatively, otherstations may include a straw pierceable opening station, an upstreamoxygen purging station, downstream oxygen purging station, or the like.

If desired, the pouch may be transferred to a pasteurization station.Pasteurization enhances the shelf life of the product. The pouch isinserted into an enclosed chamber. For example, a combination of steamand water is used to heat the pouch to a predetermined temperature for apredetermined period of time to pasteurize the product contained withinthe pouch. The package is then cooled. In this example, recirculatedwater surrounds the pouch cool the pouch. In certain instances, it maybe desirable to apply steam to sterilize the pouch 10 and to wet theinner surface of the walls to facilitate handling.

The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner. Itis to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intendedto be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possiblein light of the above teachings. Therefore, the present invention may bepracticed other than as specifically described.

1. A machine for forming a flexible pouch from a sheet of flexiblematerial, the sheet of flexible material having an inner surface and anouter surface, the sheet of flexible material including a plurality ofapertures axially aligned along the sheet of flexible material, each ofthe plurality of apertures evenly spaced apart from each other, whereinthe flexible pouch includes a fitment, the machine comprising: a framesupporting the sheet of flexible material; a tape having a plurality offitments mounted onto the tape, each of the plurality of fitments spaceda predetermined distance apart from the other; a feeder device operableto feed the tape to the frame; and a fitment insertion device operableto remove and seal one of the plurality of fitments from the tapethrough the inner wall surface of a respective aperture of the pluralityof apertures on the sheet of flexible material, the fitment insertiondevice sealing a portion of the one of plurality of fitments with theinner surface of the sheet of flexible material so as to place theremaining portion of the one of plurality of fitments beyond the outersurface of the sheet of flexible material.
 2. The machine as set forthin claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of fitments is sealed withineach of the plurality of pouch bodies by applying a first seal at afirst temperature and a first pressure, a second seal at a secondtemperature and a second pressure, a third seal at a third temperatureand a third pressure, wherein the second temperature and the secondpressure are greater than the respective first temperature and firstpressure, and wherein the third temperature and third pressure are lessthan the respective second temperature and second pressure.
 3. Themachine as set forth in claim 2, wherein the tape includes a pluralityof intermediate portions, each of the plurality of intermediate portionfixedly attached to each of the plurality of fitments, and wherein eachof the plurality of intermediate portions is removed from the tape witheach of the plurality of fitments so as to be sealed within each of theplurality of pouch bodies.
 4. The machine as set forth in claim 3,wherein each of the plurality of intermediate portions includes aplurality of perforations interconnecting each of the plurality ofintermediate portions to the tape so as to facilitate the removal ofeach of the plurality of intermediate portions from the tape.
 5. Themachine as set forth in claim 2, wherein the tape is configured in aroll.
 6. The machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of theplurality of fitments is tack sealed to the tape.
 7. The machine as setforth in claim 2, wherein the first, second, and third seals are heatwelds.
 8. The machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first,second, and third seals are ultrasonic seals.
 9. The machine as setforth in claim 2, wherein the first, second, and third seals eachinclude a heat weld and an ultrasonic seal.
 10. The machine as set forthin claim 1, further including a fill-seal device located downstream apouch forming device operable to seal the sheet of flexible materialtogether so as to form a plurality of pouch bodies, the fill-seal deviceoperable to fill and seal each of the plurality of pouch bodies.
 11. Themachine as set forth in claim 10, further including a transfer deviceoperable to transfer each of the plurality of pouch bodies from thepouch forming device to the fill-seal device.
 12. A method of forming apouch, the method comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of flexiblematerial, the sheet of flexible material having an outer surface and aninner surface; forming a plurality of apertures in the sheet of flexiblematerial, the plurality of apertures axially aligned and each of theapertures spaced apart from each other; providing a tape having aplurality of fitments; removing each of the plurality of fitments fromthe tape and sealing the plurality of fitments onto the inner surface ofthe flexible sheet and into respective apertures of the plurality ofapertures on the sheet of flexible material; and sealing the sheet offlexible material together so as to form a plurality of pouches, whereineach of the plurality of pouches includes one of the predeterminednumber of fitments.
 13. The method as set forth in claim 12, furtherincluding the steps of perforating a predetermined area surrounding eachof the plurality of fitments so as to form an intermediate portion oftape material.
 14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein theintermediate portion of tape material is removed with each of theplurality of fitments so as to be sealed within each of the plurality ofpouches.